U.S. patent application number 10/190233 was filed with the patent office on 2004-03-04 for saliva ejector.
Invention is credited to Schlussel, Herbert.
Application Number | 20040043356 10/190233 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29735276 |
Filed Date | 2004-03-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040043356 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schlussel, Herbert |
March 4, 2004 |
Saliva ejector
Abstract
A saliva ejector construction prevents tissue at the bottom
inside of the patient's mouth from being aspirated by the vacuum
action of the saliva ejector, thereby preventing discomfort for the
patient; and the structure of the saliva ejector provides a tissue
contacting contour, so that it not only rests and acts comfortably
at the bottom of the mouth but enables complete suctioning of the
saliva. A saliva ejector tip provides the accomplishment of comfort
and complete suctioning of the saliva by defining elongated,
vertical openings, and a spherical surface to contact the patient's
tissue.
Inventors: |
Schlussel, Herbert; (Monsey,
NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Stanley J. Yavner
120 North Main Street
New City
NY
10956
US
|
Family ID: |
29735276 |
Appl. No.: |
10/190233 |
Filed: |
July 8, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
433/91 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61C 17/08 20190501 |
Class at
Publication: |
433/091 |
International
Class: |
A61C 017/14 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An elongated saliva ejector for use by a dentist with a patient
and connected to a source for saliva suction at a first end,
comprising the combination of a substantially cylindrical and
elongated ejector tip proximate the other end, said ejector
defining an ejector passage opening substantially throughout its
length and a tip end at said other end, said elongated ejector tip
having vertical columns for part of its length, said columns
defining therebetween elongated slots, a disk located slightly
inwardly of said tip end and an inlet element defining a rounded
side projecting outwardly of said tip end, with the balance of said
element inwardly of said tip end and connected proximate said
disk.
2. A saliva ejector according to claim 1, wherein said inlet
element defines a spherical shape and is connected to some of said
columns.
3. A saliva ejector according to claim 1, wherein said inlet
element defines a spherical shape and is connected to said
disk.
4. A saliva ejector according to claim 2, wherein some of said
sphere projects outwardly of said tip end.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates primarily to saliva ejector
constructions for use by dentists on patients, and more
particularly to such saliva ejectors which are comfortable for the
patient, and yet which present an end configuration to almost
completely remove saliva and cooling water for the drill from the
inside bottom of the patient's mouth.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Many types of saliva ejectors have been used in an attempt
to provide an ejector that both protects the oral tissue of the
patient, and is comfortable for that patient, as well as being an
effective means for removing much of the saliva from a patient's
mouth during dental procedures.
[0003] For decades now, many structures have been proposed for
either or both of maintaining the efficiency of saliva ejectors,
and providing comfort to the patient. For instance, valves have
been installed for controlling the suction of such devices. Also,
valve control schemes have been proposed. Furthermore, control
holes and variations in sizes and shapes for the ejection passages
have been designed.
[0004] More specifically, Segerdal has patented a saliva ejector to
overcome the drawbacks known to exist in available saliva ejectors
in order to provide comfort to the patient and to perform the
ejection efficiently, in his U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,410. However, by
Segerdal's installing a thin disk-like guard to prevent patient's
discomfort by preventing aspiration of the patient's tissue at the
bottom of the mouth, and since the disk is never exactly parallel
to the bottom of the patient's mouth, the tissue is sometimes
aspirated and still leads to discomfort problems for the
patient.
[0005] Likewise, Batch has presented, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,492, a
more elaborate compressible spring at the tip of the saliva
ejector, which purportedly lowers the discomfort level for the
patient.
[0006] In both of the above patented structures, the prevention of
discomfort is neither as effective as the present invention, nor
does it present a simplicity and efficiency of design as will
become apparent for the present invention.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to
provide a saliva ejector, which is simple in its construction,
efficient in its operation and comfortable for the patient with
which it is used.
[0008] A further and more particular object of the present
invention is to provide a saliva ejector which makes use of the
available basic design of saliva ejectors, but adds an element at
the end thereof, which presents a curved rather than an edged
surface for contact with the tissue inside and at the bottom of the
patient's mouth, and yet presents a minimum additional tip
protrusion toward the bottom of the patient's mouth, so as to make
use of the vertical slots presently available for efficiently
removing saliva accumulating at the bottom of the patient's
mouth.
[0009] These and other objects of the present invention are
provided in a saliva ejector which features disposability and
simplicity of design and a significant reduction in the discomfort
such an instrument provides to the patient. A typical saliva
ejector features an elongated ejector tube, from the end of which,
outside of the patient's mouth, a suction or vacuum capability is
applied sufficiently to remove unwanted build-up of saliva at the
bottom inside of the patient's mouth. As is usual with such
instruments, at the other end, the tip of the passage for insertion
to the patient's mouth is generally after a U-shaped bend and
includes a tip opening surrounded by a plurality of vertical slots
arranged perpendicularly to the plane of the opening. In the
present invention structure, parallel to the plane of the opening,
and slightly inward of the passage therefrom, a disk smaller than
the diameter of the passage, is provided, to which is attached a
sphere or a slightly egg-shaped sphere. If the long axis of an
egg-shaped sphere is arranged perpendicular to the axis of the
passage, and it is attached to the disk, only some of the
egg-shaped element protrudes beyond the tip, where the vertical
slots end. Likewise, if the attached element is truly spherical,
the protrusion beyond the tip is also minimal. The protruded
element thereby presents a completely rounded surface to provide
virtually no discomfort to the patient; and since the aspiration by
the suction takes place around the upper half of the sphere, which
is inside the passage, such aspiration provides little if any
discomfort to the patient, and yet efficiently removes saliva from
the bottom inside of the patient's mouth.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] Other objects, features and disadvantages of the present
invention will become apparent by reference to the following
detailed description of a preferred, but nonetheless illustrative,
embodiment of the present invention, with reference to the
accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0011] FIG. 1 represents a prior art saliva ejector, which adds to
the common ejector a disk at the tip in order to prevent direct
aspiration and contact between the ejector tip and the tissue of
the patient, to minimize discomfort for the patient;
[0012] FIG. 2 is also an isometric view showing a commonly used
ejector design, featuring vertical intake slots and a baffle or
disk slightly inside of the end of the tip of the device;
[0013] FIG. 3 is an isometric view showing the saliva ejector tip
area of the present invention, wherein a sphere is attached to the
disk just inside of the tip end, wherein a plurality of vertical
slots are intact, with respect to the common design of FIG. 2, and
wherein the spherical attachment at the tip end protrudes only
somewhat beyond the tip end;
[0014] FIG. 4 shows the design of the present invention, as
attached to the source for suction, and with the saliva ejector tip
end contacting the tissue at the bottom of the patient's mouth,
where saliva is ejected; and
[0015] FIG. 5 is a sectional view, taken along the line 5-5 of FIG.
3 and showing the ejector passage, the vertical slots, the
connection between the sphere and the disk slightly inward of the
tip end, all to provide the satisfaction of objects of comfort and
efficiency provided by the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED AND ALTERNATIVE
EMBODIMENTS
[0016] As may be seen from the prior art configurations discussed
above, perhaps the most common form of a saliva ejector is shown in
FIG. 2, with an ejector passage tube 10, defining an ejection
passage 12 is connected at one end 14 to a source of suction 16
(FIG. 4). At point 18 of tube 10, usually a U-shaped bend is
provided in order to place the instrument in a manner which
provides the tip, generally designated 20, in the patient's mouth,
with the balance of tube 10 depending downwardly from the patient's
mouth.
[0017] Usually, as is indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2, tip 20 includes a
plastic tubular element 22, defining a plurality of vertical slots
24 toward tip end 26. Slightly inwardly of tip end (FIG. 2), a disk
28 is provided, usually attached to the inside surfaces of columns
30 separting the vertical slots 24. Less frequently, but not shown,
one or two of the columns 30 protrudes inwardly of passage 12 to
connect disk 28 in its position just inside ejector tip end 26.
Also commonly, an opening (not shown) is provided at appoximately
the center of disk 28 in order to attempt to increase the suction
of the instrument, but usually such increase in suction through
tube passage 12 is more uncomfortable for the patient.
[0018] FIG. 1 shows other prior art, wherein a thin disk 32 is
placed at tip end 26 in order to prevent tissue aspiration into the
instrument; but this type of design has served to increase, rather
than decrease, patient discomfort by means of contact of edges 31
of disk 32 with tissue at the bottom of the patient's mouth, in
addition to causing the aspiration of tissue when the disk, as is
usual, is not exactly parallel to the bottom of the patient's
mouth.
[0019] FIGS. 3-5, showing the present invention, duplicates the use
of tube 10, defining an ejector passage 12 for suction or vacuum.
U-shaped bend 18 leads to tip 20'. Tip 20' defines vertical slots
24' supported by columns 30'. Disk 34 is located just inwardly of
tip end 26'. An inlet element in the form of sphere 36 is
preferably partially connected by adhesive 50 or molded together
with some of columns 30 and/or with disk 34, so that sphere 36
depends below tip end 26'.
[0020] It should be noted, in the preferred embodiment-FIG. 5, that
disk 34 defines a center opening 40 through which suctioned saliva
flows after passing around the sphere 36. It may be seen (FIG. 4)
that saliva 42 at the bottom of a patient's mouth is usually well
inwardly of tip end 26', and the unwanted aspiration resulting from
direct contact of tissue 44 with suction through passage 12 is
prevented by sphere 36, and yet the flow around sphere 36 is
sufficient to efficiently suction saliva 42 into the instrument, so
that the dentist has clear and effective access to the patient's
teeth 46.
[0021] The above construction of the present invention, although of
simple design, satisfies the objectives of the dental profession,
as well as the objectives of their suppliers. When in use, the
instrument is comfortable for the patient in terms of tissue not
being aspirated, and in terms of avoiding the general discomfort
sometimes experienced with the prior art instruments for the same
purpose with respect to the feel for the patient of concentrated
suction against tissue. With the present invention suction takes
place around the sphere 36, and yet the flow of saliva upwardly, by
means of the suction, is smooth and even. The additional height of
tip 20' of the present invention (when compared with prior art
instruments) above the bottom of the mouth is minimally raised by
approximately the amount of the diameter of sphere 36, so the
effectiveness in removing saliva is every bit as good, if not
better, than the prior art instruments discussed in the background
for the present invention. As an alternative to the strictly
spherical shape of sphere 36, it is readily seen that an egg shape
with its major axis perpendicular to the axis of flow within tip
20', would be useful in the construction of the present invention
with perhaps even less extension of the instrument below tip end
26'.
[0022] Although a complete description of preferred and alternative
embodiments has been provided in the foregoing, the limitations for
the present invention are set only by the following claims:
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